Hello and welcome to our Vista Bridge live chat. David Stabler and Kenneth Kahn will join us at 11 a.m. Until then, please feel free to submit questions and comments. Expect a short delay between the time you submit and the time you see your comment in the chat.

Good morning, my name is David Stabler and I’m a reporter at The Oregonian. We’re going to talk about Portland’s Vista Bridge and the issue of suicides there. Thanks for joining us.

Thank you both for joining us today.

David, why don’t you start. What prompted you to write this story now?

Ken, how long have you been in the office below the bridge?

About 8 years.

Newspapers tend to dance around the issue of suicide, but we had been hearing about Vista Bridge as a suicide location for some time. When I met Ken Kahn, I realized the issue affected many people and warrented looking into.

Ken, what response have you heard from friends, colleagues, neighbors since David’s story was published this weekend?

Several friends and colleagues have praised the Oregonian for finally addressing this issue.

Ken, do you think it’s the city’s responsibility to impede people from jumping from Vista Bridge?

And David, I know you’ve received lots of response in comments and emails. Tell us a little about that experience. What’s been the range of reaction?

Yes, although with this caveat. Had the bridge been privately owned, I would still be raising the same red flag.

Comments have been all over the place, from compassionate responses to civil rights issues, to people upset about intrusions into their lives.

So Ken, how are you raising the red flag?

By increasing the public’s awareness of the problem with the bridge, and encouraging people to join in a movement to convince government to install safety fences.

What are some possible barriers that have been used to impede suicides from bridges? Fences? What else?

There’s no shortage of design strategies from which to draw. The Dalles has erected a beautiful and effective fence across I-84.

Possible barriers are nets or fences, but a man this morning suggested glass panels. A Spanish bridge uses them and they don’t appear to obscure the view. Here’s the link.
http://esphoto980x880.mnstatic.com/viaducto-de-segovia_17739.jpg

Is it just me, or does the whole fence idea sound a lot like the nets at Apple’s factories? It seems like putting a bandaid on a much bigger problem–and worse, perhaps, it allows us to ignore the much larger mental health problems and move the suicides to a less public space. I like the idea of a crisis phone (or a few of them) to start. To follow would be more attention and support for those with depression and other severe mental illnesses that often lead to suicide.

This is an opportunity for designers, artists and architects to participate in creating a beautiful design in keeping with the historic ethos of the bridge.

Adam, it might sound like a bandaid, but other bridges that have put up barriers saw suicides all but stop.

I understand The Oregonian used to, as a matter of policy, not cover suicides or suicides from Vista Bridge in fear that it would encourage others to do the same. Was that true, and if so, why has the policy changed?

Adam, the story and the problem addresses the Vista Bridge. I have a problem that needs solving. Imagine if you will, that exploded bodies just showed up in your front yard. Would you want to try and stop that from happening, or would you try and address all death everywhere? For me the answer is narrow and focused.

Here’s some information that shows what happened at Seattle’s Aurora St. Bridge:
http://abcn.ws/14Pvf3d

Allan, generally The Oregonian does not cover suicides unless it happens in a very public way or if the suicide involves a public figure. When we do report on suicide in the newspaper, it’s after very careful deliberation and consideration.

Do you think the paper should cover suicide more?

Ken, what would like to see happen now?

Readers, what do you think? Should the city of Portland erect barriers on the Vista Bridge? Why or why not?

First I would like to see more people involved.

Next I would like to involve government leaders and the Goose Hollow Neighborhood association.

Finally, I would like to be able to present good, workable designs to the National Register for Historic Places and the State Historic Preservation Office.

How has the Goose Hollow Neighborhood Association reacted to the idea so far?

So far, very little.

I encourage them to contact me. I think they should be involved.

I don’t know if suicides should be covered routinely, and I respect evidence that it may trigger copy cats. I believe a comprehensive report like the one in The Oregonian is appropriate because it may prompt public action to reduce suicides.

Anyway, that’s what newspapers do–tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may.

Thanks, Allan. We appreciate that. And please know that we do carefully consider the effects of our news coverage.

Bad choice of words. Sorry.

Like Ken’s desire to take action on the suicides at Vista Bridge, we saw a ongoing and escalating problem of people dying in a very public place, and we saw nothing really being done about it. It’s not a new problem or even a new story, but we thought it should be brought to light again.

One issue that commenters raised several times is Oh, they’ll just go somewhere else. But research shows that jumping is an impulsive act and if a person can be impeded, he or she will not find another bridge. In fact, most people change their minds about killing themselves.

Allan, while I can’t speak for the Oregonian, the article did more that merely report the story. David Stabler, the reporter, did an excellent job of exposing the wrip left behind by the sudden loss of a friend or family member. That story needs telling too.

By the way, Jolene is David’s editor at The Oregonian.

I grew up a few blocks up Vista from the bridge in the 80s. We called it Suicide Bridge. Am I wrong or has the bridge always been a favorite spot for those taking their life? What makes this a new issue?

Tim, this isn’t a new issue. In fact, the Ford Bridge, which Vista replaces, was also called “Suicide Bridge.”

Tim: When a body hits the pavement, it stops trains and traffic. Everyone stuck on that train is forced to look at an exploded body until the police come, and finish their investigation. We have ratings in the movie industry for what violence children and others should and should not see. I think people should not be supposed to this kind of graphic violence in the streets of Portland.

I guess that begs the question then, and I apologize, I haven’t read the article in The Oregonian yet, but why are we talking about it today?

But we thought it was important enough to look at closely, especially because of MAX trains and Oregon’s high suicide rate.

Tim, The Oregonian received tremendous response to the story and we wanted to give readers a chance to weigh in today.

David, Ken, this is Steve Novick … I really appreciate your shining a light on this issue. The story was very well done, and so sad. I think the City has an obligation to see if we can put an effective barrier up without ruining the beauty of the bridge. I realize that there is an argument that we need to save lives, to heck with aesthetics, but beauty is part of what makes life worth living. I’m glad to hear you saying you think there are aesthetically acceptable options – of course, we also need to see what the costs are. I should note that in a way we will be dealing with a larger aesthetics vs. safety issue in the context of the City budget as a whole, where we will be making grim choices between “bigger cuts in Parks, or bigger cuts in Fire & Rescue?” Anyway … again, thank you for the story.

Steve, thanks for your comment. The historic preservation folks say solutions are out there, it’s just a matter of staring the conversation. Budgets are always a consideration.

Steve: Thanks for joining us. It is certainly not an easy issue to deal with, and that may be why it has not been addressed before now.

Steve, I am delighted you are involved in this conversation. With regard to expense, should the City consider the cost of dispatching several police, the cost of obstructing the Max lines waiting for the body to clear, and the emotional toll on people witnessing the carnage?

Or are there savings to installing a fence that may outweigh those costs?

David and Ken, any idea what the costs might be? What range could we expect?

Could a temporary chain link fence be erected at the cost of $42,000 until all the design issues are solved?

A construction estimator told me a chain link fence would cost $42,000. The historic preservation folks might want something more in keeping with the bridge design.

Folks, we have about 10 more minutes. Please don’t wait to submit your questions and comments.

Am I wrong, or aren’t there suicide hotline signs on the bridge currently? I suppose a suicide hotline phone would be a bare minimum effort to prevent them from happening, at least from happening on that bridge on that day. Certainly there’s a much bigger mental health problem in this country that is at issue here as well.

For those concerned about the cost of erecting a safety barrier, have you considered the costs to the city associated with periodically diverting emergency response teams and other public resources in order to deal with these incisents? What about the costs to the local economy associated with disrupting traffic flow for several hours? Seems it can’t be cheap, and such costs are ongoing.

Ken – Of course we should. But this year we will likely be cutting police too … But I promise I will circle back, get your list of designers / historic preserverationists / etc. to talk to, and ensure that the Council gives the issue the attention it deserves.

Tim, the city put up crisis phone numbers last September. Golden Gate Bridge has 13 actual phones. But you’re right, the root problem of suicides comes back to mental illness.

Gretchen Field was a fascinating party of Sunday’s story. How did you find her?

Gretchen Field’s father jumped from Vista Bridge in 1950. I saw her comment about visiting the bridge on a website and contacted her. We met just days before she was moving to Arizona and she told me her story.

Readers, time is running short. What else do you want to ask Ken and David? Or what opinions do you have to share?

Steve — that sounds like a good start. I know Bud Clark also would like to be involved in this too.

Bud Clark, who grew up in Goose Hollow, is the former Mayor of Portland. He lives in Goose Hollow and has witnessed suicides from the bridge.

David, a lot of readers wondered why suicide appears to be a larger problem in Oregon than in other states. Can you tell us more about that?

Oregon’s rate of suicide is high — 9th in the country — but reasons are elusive. I plan to look into the issue and try to find out.

Is it our weather? Is SADD the issue?

David and Ken, I would like to hear your thoughts on potential design issues for the new Sellwood Bridge. The new bridge will be designed to accomodate significan numbers of pedestrians. Any thoughts about whether those building the bridge should consider altering the design if necessary to incorporate a safety barrier as it is built, and whether the authorities might look into covering any such additional costs?

People don’t kill themselves because of weather, I’ve learned. May is actually the most popular month for suicides.

Strangely, and unexpectedly, all of the suicides I’ve witnessed are on beautiful, sunny days.

I suspect our gloomy weather plays a part in the high suicide rate in Oregon, it would be interesting to see if suicides increase in the winter here.

That comment was sent before both of David and Kenneth’s recent comments negating the weather issue.

Thanks to the Oregonian and everyone for participating in this.

David’s story cites experts who say phones and signs don’t stop suicides. Maybe people working together can take the message on the signs at Vista Bridge –“We can help you cross this bridge” — and extend it to other effective ways to help people safely across Vista Bridge.

That’s a good question, Alex. I think the designers should address the issue on the Sellwood Bridge, if it’s not too late.

Before we sign off, any closing thoughts?

I think this could be the beginning of a conversation about Vista and other bridges.

Thank you, Ken

Thank you for your questions and comments. If you have more ideas or questions, please email me: dstabler@oregonian.com

If you would like to stand with me in support of preventive fences on the Vista Bridge, please email at kennethkahn@me.com.

Thanks